Technology is transforming every industry, niche, and process in the modern business world, and only the companies that adopt technology, get online, and embrace digital transformation will be able to meet the demands of the ever-changing consumer market in the years to come. This is especially important for brick-and-mortar retail companies that are still operating on the traditional (and even outdated) business models. Even though tech integration and digitalization might seem like cumbersome challenges and a needless expense at first glance, the importance for traditional retail stores to take their processes into the 21st century far outweighs the investment.
But it’s not just about having an amazing website or a great email strategy, though, because digital transformation means to truly digitize your entire brand experience. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most important digital transformations that will help you grow your retail business.
The rise of contactless shopping
Retail stores without checkout counters are on the rise around the world, and especially in tech-driven metropolises and regions where the majority of the tech-savvy populations reside. The key goal of contactless shopping technology is to reduce customer effort in the store, and provide a more seamless shopping experience that will allow the customer to get in, select their products, and rush off to do other chores without actually having to handle and carry the groceries. This is something that many retail business leaders might want to consider for their stores, and the solution might just help with long-term financial savings and store-wide efficiency.
There are two key iterations to this technology currently.
- You can choose to have your customers select their products and just leave, which means that your store will be tasked with packaging and same-day delivery.
- You can also allow your customers to simply select products and take them without having to wait in line for the checkout. Your system will simply charge the right amount from their balance for each of their products, and an automated email receipt will wait in their inbox.
Whether you completely transform your store to support one or both of these technologies, or if you integrate them as a complementary feature, this is a good way to digitize your entire operation.
Digital shelves and product descriptions
Brick-and-mortar retail spaces can benefit greatly from the adoption of simple digital technologies such as digital signs, product shelves, and descriptions. Not only is this technology easy to set up, but it also improves store-wide efficiency because your employees can easily change product information at a moment’s notice. What’s more, this technology eliminates the need to use paper, plastic, and other materials commonly used to set up product shelves and information.
But that’s just scratching the surface. When connected with your store’s management system, and integrated with IoT technology, digitized shelves can connect with personal devices and your mobile app to send real-time notifications to your shoppers and inform them on sales, discounts, special promotions, and so much more. Plus, this technology simply makes your product more appealing to the modern customer.
The need to go online
It should go without saying that all brick-and-mortar stores should embrace some form of Ecommerce transformation, and take their business into the online realm. Nowadays, customers need their brands to be flexible and contemporary enough to provide a seamless online shopping experience, and allow them to choose whether or not they’re going to come to the store, or select their products online. Of course, integrating an Ecommerce solution can be a cumbersome project.
This is why forward-looking retail leaders are increasingly relying on professional DevOps services and their processes to generate software solutions quickly, optimize and improve, and roll out their digitized system at the right time while ensuring customer satisfaction. Utilizing the processes employed by the DevOps solution is the best way for your retail store to create digital solutions without wasting time or financial resources.
Integrating AR and VR technologies
Retailers should also focus on augmented reality and virtual reality if they want to appeal to the modern customer. The former aims to bring digital content into the space, while the latter aims to immerse the customer into an entirely unique shopping experience. For example, customers can use augmented reality to see how your products will fit in their home and lifestyle, or even check out its features before deciding to buy. The same can be achieved with virtual reality that allows customers to step into your store without ever leaving the comfort of their homes.
Leveraging mobile apps
And finally, be sure to consider rolling out your own mobile app. This is another key area where DevOps can benefit your business, because you will be able to develop an app quickly and capitalize on the emerging consumer trends. Nowadays, customers can use proprietary apps to navigate retail stores with ease, get real-time information on products and discounts, and even get custom deals and promotions tailored to their needs and according to their shopping history and habits.
Wrapping up
The retail industry is evolving rapidly in the face of the technological revolution, so all the more reason to digitize your own retail store in order to appeal to the modern customer. Be sure to implement these solutions to take your retail store into the 21st century and set the stage for long-term success.
